One of the great accomplishments of modern medicine is arguably the gains that have been made in extending longevity. Throughout the twentieth century, average life expectancy increased dramatically across the globe, a trend being continued in the twenty-first century with the notable exceptions of sub-Saharan Africa and Russia. For the first time in history it now seems “normal” that a person should live a long, healthy, and active life. Although the trend line is still moving up, it has started to plateau.

Incredibly perhaps, there are people out there who are still ethically nervous or worried about cosmetic surgery. We live in a modern world that is trying to democratize beauty with the assistance of the scalpel. We lust after the holy grail of ageless youth. Those unschooled in this brave and beautiful new world find it all strange, even morally noxious.

The second and final part of a 2004 lecture by Brent Waters, DPhil, originally delivered on the campus of Trinity International University. The lecture is entitled “Extending Human Life to what End: Ethical Reflections on Regenerative Medicine.”

With the Olympics soundly behind us and the rhythms of the fall launch of new television episodes well established, several reflections come to mind. An interesting thread below all of the accomplishments of the  elite athletes during the Beijing Olympics were concerns over doping of various sorts. Artificial enhancements, steroids, hormones. These are not new issues surrounding the elite athletic competitions of our day, but they increasingly are becoming difficult to evaluate.